Like other Asian countries, Afghanistan is also facing
air pollution problem, causing worst kind of chest and throats diseases to
people, especially to thousands of dwellers from Kabul capital. In according to
recent reports, almost hospitals and clinics at Kabul are jam-packed by
patients facing chest, throats and other diseases. On such grounds the health
and environment protection commission of the Wolesi Jirga (the Lower House of
Parliament) summoned officials from the Ministry of Public Health and the
National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) over Kabul air pollution. MPs
have asked officials to take measures to manage the air pollution in Kabul as
it has become a serious problem. Though public health officials say the
current air pollution in Kabul doesn’t call for an emergency, but it is a
matter of concern and should be managed in terms of environmental protection. Even
the related official citing their statistics in different parts of Kabul city, said,
in reality the situation is not so bad to announce an emergency and tell people
not to leave their houses. Whatever might be justification on the part of
Ministry of Public Health but the situation in Kabul city is again alarming due
to failure of municipality, Health and other government functionaries. On one
side due to growing violent acts and terror, people from different rural areas
are slipping to urban cities especially to Kabul whereas they feeling them as
safe and sound. On the other hand, the failure of housing and municipal bodies
of streamlining construction of houses, towns and new markets in the cities.
Likewise the transport and police department had also failed in blocking
running of old, out dated and damaged vehicles on capital roads. Similarly
sale, purchase and use of sub-standard medicines throughout Afghanistan also
causing diseases even epidemic diseases to already poverty and war stricken
civilians. Amidst chilly cold and rough weather, Kabul citizens are using coal
and oil to keep them warms. Afghanistan is still in state of war and lacking
resources for overcoming health, environment, municipal, transport and other
issues, which directly affecting lives of innocent and helpless people.
Afghanistan is already on top of World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and
other UN bodies, engaged in serving the ailing humanity throughout the world.
But performances of these UN bodies are disappointing. Afghanistan government
needs to approach these UN bodies for timely combating these challenges,
erupted with air pollution like issues.